Author: staff

But, in EU speak, that law is a directive and not a regulation, meaning countries have a lot of leeway in how to apply it. It is also focused on keeping kids away from adult content, not off social media altogether, said Bas Palomares. There are guidelines under the Digital Services Act, but those guidelines are non-binding and help platforms comply with the EU’s landmark online safety law. Released this summer, the latest version still leaves age restrictions up to EU countries. The guidelines are reviewed annually, so the Commission could look to tighten the screws on platforms next year. But…

Updated: 03/10/2025 – 7:00 GMT+2 Catch up with the most important stories from around Europe and beyond this October 3rd, 2025 – latest news, breaking news, World, Business, Entertainment, Politics, Culture, Travel. … More

The night of 9 November 1989 was undoubtedly one of the most dramatic of the 20th century. The Berlin Wall in Germany – the armed border that had separated citizens of East and West Berlin since 1961 – was finally opened, kickstarting its dismantling. But what should be done with the ghost line that remained? Erase it from memory as if it had never existed? In local politician Michael Cramer’s mind, an alternative idea was beginning to take shape. His vision was to retain some of the border’s components and to make a trail of its 160-km-long outline that would…

**A message from EFPIA: Digital health solutions are crucial to improve outcomes in cardiovascular care and play a role in the prevention, screening and management of CVD. As the Commission prepares its Cardiovascular Health Plan, the EU has a unique opportunity to turn digital innovation into real-world impact for patients across the region.** WHERE’S EQUAL ACCESS IN THE COMMISSION’S COMPETITIVENESS MANTRA? European Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi admitted at the Gastein Health Forum that the current regulatory framework “does not deliver on the citizens’ expectations.” He vowed to fix that with a flurry of initiatives: the Critical Medicines Act, pharma legislation,…

Munich Airport suspended flight operations late on Wednesday night due to “several drone sightings”, according to a statement published by the airport. Flights were grounded from 10:18 pm, the statement said, with 17 flights and nearly 3,000 passengers affected at the time of its release. The airport reportedly reopened early on Friday morning, several media have reported. “Late in the evening of October 2, German air traffic control (DFS) restricted flight operations at Munich Airport from 10:18 pm and later suspended them altogether due to several drone sightings,” the airport wrote in a statement. “When a drone is sighted, the…

Create a new regulator The idea of creating an independent agency tasked with enforcing the rules, out of reach of a Commission with multiple competing priorities, has been percolating over the past few months. The fear that DMA enforcement had fallen on the altar of the EU’s trade interests led some academics to advocate for an independent agency. One possible arrangement would be to create a “European Digital Authority” responsible for directly enforcing laws under the digital rulebook, including the DMA, said Alexandre de Streel, an academic at the University of Namur. His idea is to create “an independent entity,…

Europe must take a more aggressive approach towards Russia by shooting down drones that enter European airspace and boarding shadow fleet ships illicitly transporting oil to deprive Moscow of war revenue, French President Emmanuel Macron has said. Speaking at a European summit in Copenhagen, Macron and other European leaders called for more sanctions against Russia, notably targeting its energy sector, and emphasised that Ukraine is on the frontline of a widening hybrid war against Europe. The positions of some of Europe’s leaders towards the continuing drone incursions, acts of sabotage, cyberattacks and sanctions evasion appear to have hardened over two days of talks in…

Wildfires are becoming more disastrous and costly, a new study reveals.  Climate change makes natural environments more prone to wildfires. A new study, published in Science, shows how wildfires have become more frequent and disastrous in the past 44 years.  Fire is a natural process that is important for the health of ecosystems. But climate change, land mismanagement, and expansion into flammable landscapes have intensified fire risks. These wildfires are becoming more lethal and expensive. Worsening fire seasons This summer saw a record amount of fire destruction across the European continent. Not all countries are affected equally: Spain and Portugal…

Predictably, those who voted Remain in the EU referendum backed the deal by a huge margin — with 78 percent in favor. But even 50 percent of Leave voters are keen. Poll respondents were explicitly warned that the agreement “means we will be bound to European regulations on these products” — but most didn’t seem to care. The government says the SPS or “sanitary and phytosanitary” agreement will smooth trade in food, animals and other plant products like flowers by eliminating the need for much red tape at the border. The benefits could be lower prices, less fragile supply chains…

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he felt “comfortable” speaking to his US President Donald Trump, praising his attempt made at the Alaska summit “to search for and find possible ways to settle the Ukrainian crisis,” but warned that the supply of the US Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine would signal a “qualitatively new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the US.” Last week, the United States said it is considering providing Kyiv with the missiles, as the Kremlin continues to refuse to engage in talks with Ukraine brokered by Trump, US Vice President JD Vance confirmed…